Carer Breaks Part Two

Parent Carer breaks

Being a parent means you play a lot of roles, if you are caring for a child with additional needs you may have additional caring responsibilities. For example, Parent Carers be required to support their child with additional care tasks and supervision as well as navigating the education system and sourcing appropriate support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It can be tricky at times to prioritise your own wellbeing when focused on caring for your child, but taking care of yourself as a Parent Carer is hugely important. Looking after yourself means you can sustain your caring role in the long term, and one way to do this is by accessing additional support.

There are a wide range of ways to access a break which are designed to help you to recharge your batteries and look after your own needs. It is important that you find ways to access a break in ways that work for you, your child and your family.  .

• Accessing a respite service – There may be respite opportunities within your local area which you may look to access independently or through a service. This respite may vary in length, from a couple of hours each week, to a weekend, or even several weeks at a time. This is dependent on your caring role and circumstances.
• Accessing support at home – Support inside your own home through a paid care attendant or sitting service, or through asking a trusted friend or family member to step in, can give you a break and allow you to dedicate time to another child or have time for yourself.
• Organising a day trip – A day trip or family holiday where a key element is extra support available for the caring tasks could also mean you are able to enjoy quality time as a family in new ways.
• Support for your child – Depending on the age of your child and the services on offer in your area, befriending schemes mean a trained volunteer or worker takes your child somewhere they would enjoy, like a concert or other fun activity, leaving you time to do something different.
• Support for you – Other Parent Carers also say that joining local Parent Forum Groups, where you can meet other parents of children with additional needs, can also be very comforting and useful in terms of feeling relaxed and recharged.